Taking Back SundayLouder Now

Taking Back Sunday have always been an obnoxious guilty pleasure. Representing all that is vapid and un-punk about the nu-Warped generation of bands, they wrote unbelievably catchy songs that were sometimes impossible not to be drawn in by. Well, not anymore. With their major label debut, the band are forced to expose their songwriting ability for what it is: generally non-existent. They had a few good shots on their first two records, but its all over now, with tracks like "MakeDamnSure trying desperately to find the voice they used to sometimes have. Lyrically, the band are clawing at the same played-out subject matter, singing about failed relationships and relationships that have failed. This is a one-trick pony that used to do a cool trick. Time to sell the farm, boys.
(Warner)